NO ANSI: Agolli misses Cosmos game due to commitment with old club

Ansi Agolli is in Europe, taking care of business with a former club. (Photo courtesy of the Cosmos)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — For the first time this young season Saturday, Ansi Agolli did not dress for a Cosmos game.

He had to fly to Europe to take care of his business with his old club and was unavailable to play against Boston City FC at Mitchel Athletic Complex, according to Cosmos head coach Carlos Mendes.

The Albanian international left back’s most recent club prior to the Cosmos was Qarabağ in the Azerbaijan Premier League.

“He had to travel back to his old club and make sure that he had that taken care of,” Mendes said. “Unfortunately, it fell on this date that we have a game. He’ll be back with the club and be ready for the next match.”

The Cosmos’ next match will be at Hartford Athletic in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in Hartford, Conn. Tuesday night.

Saturday’s game was the start of a busy week for the Cosmos. Besides Tuesday’s encounter, the National Premier Soccer League team also will play at the Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds Friday, May 17 and at Hartford City Sunday, May 19.

Agolli, 36, played the entire way in Wednesday’s 2-1 first-round Open Cup victory over Black Rock FC at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium in New York City.

About The Author

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered eight World Cups, seven Olympics and all 21 MLS Cups. He writes about New York City FC, New York Cosmos and the U.S. national team for Newsday and pens a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has two more in the works, including one about the Rochester Lancers.